Interventions in Management Research: Creating Positive Change for Workers

The field of management is beginning to recognize (and emphasize) the value of “real-world” implications of empirically rigorous studies. One promising avenue of research that supports this shift in our field is “intervention-based studies,” which provide both practically and theoretically significant insights on timely, managerial problems. Historically, intervention-based research has been scarce in our field, especially relative to other fields like clinical psychology or medicine. However, over the past decade (and especially the last two years), scholars in our field have been increasingly interested in undertaking such research. Supporting this movement, this symposium will showcase six empirical projects using an intervention-based methodology that tackle a range of timely problems—like mental health, work relationship quality, and procrastination—to create positive change in workplace environments of all kinds—from traditional organizations to the gig economy. Beyond Service with a Smile, An Intervention for Conversations between Employees and Customers Author: Elizabeth Nguyen Trinh; U. of Michigan, Ross School of Business Author: Julia Lee Cunningham; U. of Michigan A Field Experiment on How to Support Mental Health at Work Author: Laura Maria Giurge; London School of Economics and Political Science Author: Lauren Christine Howe; U. of Zurich An Awareness Intervention to Increase Supervisor Appreciation Expressions Author: Lauren Rachel Locklear; Texas Tech U. Author: Shannon G. Taylor; U. of Central Florida Author: Maureen L. Ambrose; U. of Central Florida The Andrew Carnegie Effect, An Intervention That Activates Legacy Motives Author: Daniela Goya-Tocchetto; Fuqua School of Business, Duke U. Author: Jessica Jee Won Paek; Fuqua School of Business, Duke U. Author: Kimberly A Wade-Benzoni; Duke U. Changing the Customer Evaluation Scale for Gig Workers Shows Lower Racial Discrimination Author: Tristan L. Botelho; Yale School of Management Author: Sora Jun; Rice U. Author: Demetrius Humes; U. of Toronto Author: Katherine Ann DeCelles; U. of Toronto Working Alone Together, An Intervention Boosting Focus and Positive Affect for Gig Workers Author: Brittany Lambert; Indiana U. - Kelley School of Business Author: Brianna Barker Caza; U. of North Carolina, Greensboro